Caught Between | BBANGSAZ

F I V E

Soobin lived in the richest part of town, and I was completely awestruck when we pulled up to his mini-mansion. I thought my house was nice, but his made mine look like a humble shack. The grand entrance boasted a roundabout driveway with a fountain in the middle. The landscaping was impeccable, featuring beautifully maintained flowers of every color. The house itself was a light grey-brown with dark brown trim, accent stone going halfway up the siding, and teal shutters on each window. It was breathtaking.

"You didn't tell me you were rich," I said, gaping at his house.

"Yeah, I don't really like to talk about it," he said, hanging his head as if embarrassed.

What there was to be embarrassed about, I wasn't sure.

The driveway was packed with cars. I wasn't sure how many family members he had, but judging by the lack of parking space, there were a lot. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

"Hey, it's gonna be fun, I promise," Soobin said, squeezing my hand. "If it helps, Minji is really the only grumpy family member I have."

"That does help, actually," I giggled.

With another deep breath, I hopped out of Soobin's truck. He jogged to the back to grab a bag of ice we'd picked up from a gas station. The mouth-watering smell of burgers and brats roasting on a grill filled the air, making my stomach growl.

Soobin took my hand and led me around the side of the house to a gate to the backyard. I braced myself as we crossed the threshold. The size of the yard matched the grandeur of the house. It had space for a half basketball court, a trampoline, a large grassy area, and a stunning two-story deck and patio combination. The grill and several seating tables were on the upper level, while the lower level had a fire pit and a high-top table.

I had completely underestimated how large Soobin's family was. There were at least a dozen and a half kids of various ages playing tag and bouncing on the trampoline, and around fifteen adults scattered around the patio and deck, chatting and drinking. In the far corner near the fire pit, I spotted Minji and Yeonjun. He had his arm around her shoulders, focused on his phone, while she stared mindlessly into the fire. From what I could tell, everyone seemed to avoid that area.

Soobin guided me to the patio, setting the bag of ice next to a stack of coolers by the walk-out basement doors.

"What can I get you to drink?" he asked, opening one of the coolers.

"What are my options?" I asked quietly, hoping not to draw attention to us.

Fortunately, everyone around us was too engrossed in their own conversations to notice us.

"Coke, Sprite, water, Gatorade..." he listed, rummaging through the cooler.

"I'll take a Sprite," I said.

He nodded, pulling out a couple of cans and handing one to me. I smiled my thanks as I popped the tab. Soobin took my hand and led me to a nearby cluster of adults, introducing me. Everyone was extremely welcoming, asking about my personal life and cracking jokes to help me feel comfortable. It was obvious who was related, as all the siblings shared the same dirty blond hair and caramel eyes.

After mingling a bit, we reached the upper part of the deck, where two identical dirty-blond men were chatting by the grill. One was flipping burgers with a pair of tongs, while the other leaned against the railing, holding a beer. The man leaning against the railing noticed us first.

"Soobin! Is this her?" he asked with a big smile.

The man at the grill turned. Up close, it was somehow even harder to tell them apart.